All too often people open a new book and begin reading on page one. However, dedication pages have always been one of my favorite pieces to any novel. That seemingly trivial page is where the author is acknowledging their success was not attained through individual efforts. I may not be a published author, Olympic gold medalist, or notable scientist, but success is defined on an individual scale. And looking back on all that I have accomplished, I too must acknowledge that I did not do any of it on my own.
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Although gratitude should not be limited to one day of the year, Thanksgiving is sometimes the reminder we need. This Thanksgiving I wanted to dedicate my article to those who have paved the path that has taken me to where I stand today.
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To my dad, when they say “not all super heroes wear capes” they are talking about you.
To my mom, for teaching me what it means to be resilient and reminding me to laugh more.
To my little sister, for all the years I made you be my personal assistant. On a more serious note, I am so proud of the person you are becoming.
To my middle school best friend, for making friends with the new girl even though you didn’t have to.
To my high school calculus teacher, for making me realize that math is ∫exy .
To my high school novel teacher, for teaching me to dream big. And, for instilling the confidence with in me to chase them wholeheartedly. For you, a thousand times over.
To the boy I met in French class as a freshman (who I now look up to more than he probably knows), for pushing me to think more, see more, and do more.
To the first boy I ever loved, for always coming to the rescue even when I probably didn’t deserve it. And, all the Tuesday morning blueberry bagels.
To my freshman dorm neighbors, for reminding me to have fun once in a while and broadening my pop culture knowledge.
To my Russian twin, for always pushing me to run faster and introducing me to world of rice and bananas.
To my hammocking buddy, for inspiring me to explore the world of computer science and then passionately talk about Big-O notation with me.
To my big sister, for laughing when I dropped asparagus on you and then proceeding to take me under your wing.
They say to save the best for last and that the last is certainly not the least. So, finally, to my freshman year roommate (who is now my best friend), for always pushing me to be a better person and making my darker days brighter. I truly believe our friendship is not something that everyone gets the chance to experience in their lifetime.
Sometimes it is easy to forget the extraordinary power of human connection. I have been blessed with so many remarkable people in my life. I want you all to know that without your influence an important piece of me would be missing. You know who you are.